


hope we always feel like home

by chorima



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-05
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-08-17 07:06:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16511612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chorima/pseuds/chorima
Summary: When Jaemin falls for his roommate, Jeno, he debates whether he should come clean about his feelings and risk having to find a new place to live or keep it to himself.





	hope we always feel like home

Finding a good enough apartment with good enough roommates is not easy when you are a broke college student who likes to put important things off until the last minute. Jaemin, however, was pretty lucky when he ran into Jeno.

  
He was with Renjun, both sitting on the floor of his bedroom with their laptops resting on their respective laps. It was summer, so the air conditioning was on, being the only noise in the room. Both of them were concentrating on finding an apartment for Jaemin, who was supposed to start college in three weeks. He had had all summer to find a place to move into, but never bothered to. Until the realization that he was really leaving finally hit him and he forced his best friend to help him not be homeless for the rest of the school year.

  
"Look, this one's cheap. The guy seems nice too," Renjun said, turning the laptop to Jaemin's side so he could check it out.

  
The apartment was nice: two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living space and a kitchen. Just the right amount of space for two people who would be too busy to care about cleaning, and enough not to see each other if they ended up disliking each other. The furniture looked new, and the walls freshly painted.

  
Jaemin narrowed his eyes. "Seems too good to be true. What if the guy's a creep?" He asked, and Renjun slapped his arm with a crease in between his eyebrows.

  
"You're going to call him, you dumbass, because I refuse to spend more time helping you," his best friend stated.

  
And so he did.

  
The guy picked the phone almost inmediately, as if he had been waiting for someone to call. "Hello?" A deep voice answered the call.

  
"Uh, hi." Jaemin replied, suddenly embarrassed. Renjun stared at him in the way that said 'do what I told you to or else' and Jaemin really didn't want to challenge his best friend. "I called because of the apartment?"

  
"Oh! Yeah, yeah, it's me!" The guy's voice sounded both desperate and full of hope, like he had been waiting his whole life for someone to show interest in the apartment.

  
"Well, uh- I'd like to see it. Is Monday okay?"

  
"Sure! I'll give you the address, just text me whenever you're coming by."

  
Right when he hung up, Jaemin noticed Renjun looking at him raising an eyebrow and with a smirk on his lips. "See? It wasn't that hard."

  
Jaemin snorted. "If I get slaughtered because of you, I'll be sure my ghost haunts you for the rest of your life."

 

But he never got slaughtered, and in fact met someone he now treasures deeply.

  
Jeno turned out to be calm, quiet and shy – he still is, but since he warmed up to Jaemin, somewhere along their first year together, he became somewhat louder and sometimes weirder. Jaemin really enjoyed living with him, how they understood each other and never argued even about throwing out the trash.

  
So here he is, two years later, in the same apartment, with the same boy, watching Netflix on the couch while eating snacks as dinner, because that's what they do when Jaemin is too tired to cook for both of them and none of them have enough money for takeout.

  
"Do you want to watch another one?" Jeno asks as the five seconds between episodes start running. They have been pretty invested in this show Mark had recommended, Dark, and are now reaching the ending of the season.

  
Jaemin stretches his back and checks the time on his phone. It's getting late and he needs to finish his homework for tomorrow. He lets out a deep sigh. It is not the first time he considers getting scolded in front of a hundred people for not turning in an essay so that he doesn't have to stop spending time with Jeno, resting his head on the other's shoulder as they watch whatever show they feel like.

  
"I still have things to do," he pouts, and Jeno pouts back and slides his arms around Jaemin's waist.

  
"You barely have time for me now," the older complains, suddenly really close to Jaemin's face.

  
This is only half true. He doesn't have as much free time as he used to in previous years, but all the time he spends at home he is hanging out with Jeno, even if they are working in silence on opposite ends of the couch. He craves Jeno's company, it makes him feel at ease.

  
"Stop looking at me like that," the younger complains, shaking him off of him. "You're a bad influence, you know that?"

  
"It's not my fault that you can't do all your work at once and then have all the time in the world for your favorite roommate."

  
Jaemin slaps him in the arm and he gets up trying to hide his smirk. If he spends any more time arguing with Jeno, he will end up watching the rest of the season of Dark pressed to his side with his arms around him.

 

Although it is weird, or downright creepy – according to Renjun, – Jaemin can pinpoint the exact moment his crush on Jeno started, or at least the moment he realized he had a crush on him.  
It was on their second year living together, after Jaemin had gotten his first ever bad test results. He was so upset that he refused to come out of his room. He had even turned off his phone so he wouldn't have to interact with Renjun or Chenle, who were obviously worried. He just wanted to be alone, lie on his bed and stare at the ceiling focusing on not shedding a single tear – which didn't go as planned, because he spent a solid hour crying his eyes out like a baby.

  
When he finally came out of his room, face red and eyes swollen, he saw Jeno was waiting for him. He had built a blanket fort in the living room, and filled it with comfort food. He was lying on his side scrolling down his phone, which he stopped doing the moment he noticed Jaemin had finally come out of his bedroom.

  
"Hey," he said, sitting straight.

  
"Hey," Jaemin replied, still in awe of what he was seeing. "What's this?"

  
"Well, Renjun texted me you were feeling sad. So, instead of barging into your room and force you to tell me what's wrong, I figured I should let you come out when you're ready and then try to distract you." Jeno explained, his lips curling up a little on the edges. He then put his index finger up, getting serious. "You'll have to tell me eventually, though," he added.

  
Jaemin nodded, the right corner of his lips curling up slightly, and crawled into the blanket fort next to Jeno, making himself comfortable.

  
"So, what were your plans?" He asked.

  
They spent the rest of the day watching YouTube videos – mainly cute compilations of baby animals, but also funny stuff, like people hitting themselves on the face or falling into pools – and playing games, and Jeno did succeed at getting Jaemin's mind some rest from his troubles.

  
After the third puppy chasing a ball that had never been really thrown, Jaemin paused the video and turned to his side to face Jeno, resting on his elbow.

  
"I was sad because I failed this test I had last week." He said. His eyes became watery again and he tried to hide it, but Jeno, wrapped his arms around him and brought him closer to his chest.  
"Oh, Nana," he whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you worked hard for it."

  
Jaemin cried a little bit more in Jeno's arms, and the older let him, rubbing his hand up and down his back in a comforting manner.

  
"You know, Jaemin, grades aren't everything." Jeno started once Jaemin stopped sobbing. "It really sucks you didn't pass, don't get me wrong. But it doesn't make you less smart, hardworking or valid. You're still as great, good grades or not, okay?"

  
Jaemin pulled back from the hug they had been in, his eyes still wet and a pout still on his lips, and looked at Jeno. Then he nodded, trying to muster up a smile.

  
"Thank you," he whispered, and Jeno kissed his forehead before embracing him close once again.

  
When the night came, and Jaemin was laying on his bed in the dark, he couldn't help but keep thinking about Jeno, his warm hugs, his encouraging words, his kind self, and feel his heart beating like it never did before.

 

"Ugh! He's so annoying!" Jaemin bursts out, plopping down on Renjun's bed and burying his face in the pillow.

  
Renjun rolls his eyes and holds in a sigh, closing the door. He then sits on the floor, his back against the bed. "What did he do now?"

  
"Everything!" Jaemin exclaims. He sits properly on the bed so he can be heard. "Why did the universe have to give me the biggest, fatest, cutest dork as a roommate? Was it really expecting me not to fall for him?! A bitch has a heart, you know!"

  
"Yeah, unfortunately so." The older whispers, but Jaemin still hears him and kicks him in the shoulder.

  
"What do you mean by that?" He frowns.

  
"I mean that every time you fall for someone and, trust me, it is quite often, it's me who you vent to, and I'm not paid enough for this shit."

  
"It's not my fault you don't have feelings, Jun." Jaemin states, crossing his arms before his chest. This time it's Renjun the one who kicks Jaemin, getting up from the floor.

  
"I do have feelings, you're just a drama queen!" He yells, putting emphasis on each word with a punch on Jaemin's chest.

  
"Okay, okay! Sorry, jeez!" The other apologizes, grabbing Renjun by the wrists to keep him from hitting him again.

  
Renjun manages to break free from Jaemin's grip and lays down next to him, both of them on their backs. The older lets out a long sigh, as if he was debating whether to speak or keep his words.

  
"I think you'll have to tell him eventually, though," he ends up saying in a whisper.

  
Jaemin clicks his tongue. "You know I really want to, Jun. I really, really do. I can't hold these things back." He pauses for a second and licks his lips before continuing. "If he doesn't like me things will get weird and I'll have to move out. And I don't wanna. I like that apartment. I like living with him." He sighs, frustrated. "This sucks."

  
"It'll also suck if you don't get it off your chest, Nana," Renjun argues quietly.

  
And damn, does it suck too when Renjun is right.

 

Jaemin was more often than not the last one to wake up, so when he was on his way to the kitchen to prepare his first coffee of the day, he noticed right away that Jeno's door was closed, which always meant he was inside – it was like a non-verbal code they had established, leaving the doors open when they went out; none of them started it on purpose, but it was just how it was.

  
The boy frowned, knocking lightly on the door. "Jeno?" He asked, opening just enough to peek inside, and all he got in response was a deep grunt. "Should you be skipping class today?" No answer. Jaemin opened the door and walked to the bed with worry on his face. "Jeno, are you okay?" He insisted, sitting next to his roommate. Jeno grunted again, turning around to face Jaemin, and the latter put his hand on the former's forehead. "Oh my god, Jen, you're boiling!"

  
"I'm okay," is the first thing Jeno said, in a raspy voice. "Don't worry."

  
"You're so clearly not!" Jaemin retorted, and then he got up. "Have you taken anything for your fever?"

  
Jeno cleared his throat. "Nah."

  
The younger sighed at his roommate's carelessness and exited the room in search for some paracetamol. He also prepared some tea with honey and took it to Jeno, who was still in bed, an arm thrown over his eyes to block the light, his bed sheets covering only half of his body and very messy, from Jeno tossing and turning in his restless sleep.

  
"Here," Jaemin offered both the pill and the mug to Jeno after helping him incorporate in bed, his back against the headboard. Jeno took them both and thanked Jaemin with a half smile.

  
"Won't you be late for class?" Jeno asked after taking a sip of the tea.

  
"Oh," Jaemin let out, waving his hands, "don't worry about that, I'm not going."

  
The older looked at him and it felt like his eyes could see through him. "You're not going because of me?" He asked, quietly, but Jaemin could tell he was very serious.

  
The intensity of Jeno's gaze made Jaemin look down as he spoke, shrugging his shoulders. "It's not like I had any important lectures," he replied, and his voice came out quiet, almost embarrassed.

  
"Jaemin!" The older protested, but he got up, back to his confident, determined self.

  
"I'm taking care of you, whether you like it or not, Lee Jeno!"

  
And so he did.

  
At first, Jeno wasn't happy that Jaemin let his responsibilities aside to take care of him, and even tried to refuse his help, but Jaemin still made sure to check his fever was going down every once in a while and give him his meds on time, to make him tea, prepare him lunch.

  
"Aren't you gonna feed me too?" Jeno asked, jokingly.

  
Jaemin raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "Shut up and eat your food."

  
The day was coming to an end, and Jaemin was sitting on a puff in the corner of Jeno's room, working on a paper, waiting for the other to come back from the bathroom: he had prepared the older a bath.

  
Jeno came back from the bathroom half an hour later, wearing clean pajamas and drying his hair with a towel, and Jaemin tried not to stare, to focus on his laptop, but he still noticed how cute Jeno looked with his hair wet, sticking to his forehead, how his eyes still had that feverish shine.

  
The older sat down on his bed, facing Jaemin. He had complained all day long, but in the end he was thankful for everything, even the fact that he stayed at his room while he slept in case he woke up and needed anything.

  
"Thanks for today," he murmured, still drying his hair with the towel. "You didn't have to."

  
"I know I didn't." Jaemin replied, trying to hide his blush behind his laptop screen. "But I wanted to."

  
There was a moment of silence after that, which made Jaemin finally look up to meet Jeno's eyes. The black-haired boy gave him a half smile again, and said in a low voice. "You're an angel, you know that, Nana?"

  
Despite his heart suddenly beating at an inhuman pace, Jaemin managed to shyly smile back.

 

Just like any other Friday at their apartment, Jaemin and Jeno's friends are over. Fridays are the one day of the week when everyone has to agree to meet, no excuses valid – yet still, Donghyuck often pretends to forget the rules and skips their meetings to go on dates or even just to catch up on the sleep his classes and projects are taking away from him.

  
They do nothing special when they meet, really. Normally, they watch movies or videos, but sometimes someone will want to spice things up a little and bring a couple of bottles of soju and propose some drinking games – that usually end up with Mark and Chenle in not the best conditions.

  
But this one is not one of those Friday nights. They just meet for dinner – order Chinese, Renjun's request – and play some videogames. And when it starts getting late, Renjun takes a sleepy Chenle home, and Donghyuck says goodbye not much later, which only leaves Mark and Jisung, who are always the last ones to go home.

  
It has been a long, long week, so Jaemin is barely paying attention to the show they are watching. He is just sitting there, head laid back, eyes closed and an arm around Jeno's shoulders. Jeno is snuggled by his side, his head resting on Jaemin's chest, and unlike him, he's actually watching the show.

  
It's not weird for them to cuddle. They do it so often, that Jaemin's heart is almost used to it. Almost.

  
Sometimes, when Jeno breaks into his room and curls up against him in bed, or when he hooks his chin on one of his shoulders while he cooks, hands on his roommate's hips, Jaemin forgets they are actually not a couple, his heart keeps beating normally, he relaxes into Jeno's touch, and then something in his brain snaps and reminds him they are just friends, and he freaks out – once he almost burns down the kitchen, no joke.

  
Tonight, it's not something in his brain that snaps, but something Mark says: "aww, guys, you look like a married couple!"

  
Jaemin's body freezes and his heart is suddenly threatening to break out of his ribcage, and nothing could have prepared him for Jeno's answer, especially not in this situation.

  
"We're married in our hearts," he answers, with a radiant smile on his lips that, if Jaemin had seen, would have sent him into cardiac arrest.

  
"We're what, now?" The younger musters, removing his arm from Jeno's shoulders and looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

  
Jaemin is usually the flirty, cuddly one. He does it to everyone, whether he actually like-likes them or not: speaking sweetly to people, shower them in compliments and affection is second nature to him, he does it without even realizing. Jeno is the shy, more reserved one, the one to blush at the mention of his pretty smile, to brush off any comments of flirty nature. It is always a shock to Jaemin whenever he says or does something bold, out of character, which has been happening a lot more lately.

  
"Oh my god, Jaemin, Jeno is coming for your brand," Jisung comments with a chuckle.

  
From that conversation until it's time for Mark and Jisung to leave, Jaemin is tense. He avoids looking at his friends and doesn't engage in conversation. He's lost in his own thoughts, lets his mind wander and reminds the times when things were easier between him and Jeno: when what he felt for his roommate was nothing but a silly crush that would go away any moment.

  
"Hey, I'm sorry if what I said earlier about Jeno made you uncomfortable or something," Mark apologizes when he's about to open the door to leave. He doesn't look at Jaemin and scratches the back of his head, ashamed.

  
"No problem, Marky," Jaemin brushes it off with a smile – which is not his most real one, but he tries – and then goes in for a hug. He then hugs Jisung too, swinging from side to side, and pinches his cheek before both of them leave, the youngest complaining about being treated like a baby.

  
Jaemin gets ready for bed avoiding running into Jeno – which is hard, because their apartment isn't precisely a mansion. He's already settled in, with his cup of tea and his book, when the older knocks on his door. Jaemin represses a sigh, but lets him come in nonetheless.

  
Jeno stays by the door, leaning into the frame, his arms crossed before his chest. "Is everything okay?" He asks, as if he could read Jaemin's mind – sometimes the younger swears he can, or else he doesn't have an explanation for all the times Jeno anticipates his needs.

  
"Yep," he musters without ripping his gaze from the book.

  
"I kinda overheard Mark apologizing to you earlier. Are you guys doing fine?" Jeno insists, because he clearly doesn't buy it – again, mind powers.

  
"Peachy," the younger replies, and then he clicks his tongue as he turns to the next page, an eyebrow raised. Totally normal, not-annoyed behaviour.

  
"You sure? Don't wanna tell me what it was about?"

  
Jaemin slaps the book shut and looks at Jeno for the first time since he came into his room. He isn't going to give up anytime soon, is he? "Fine," he gives in. "He apologized about the married couple comment from earlier," he admits, "happy now?"

  
Jeno's eyes go wide, and he lets his arms hanging on the sides of his body as he walks further into the room. He carefully sits on the edge of Jaemin's bed, as if he was trying to get closer to a stray cat, not wanting to make a sudden move that could startle it. "Is that something that bothered you? Why?" He inquires quietly, again, trying not to startle him.

  
"Because!" Jaemin whines throwing his head back, like a kid having a tantrum in the middle of a store because their mom doesn't allow them to buy any snacks because it's close to dinner time, but Jeno doesn't get it, which is clear by the frown sitting between his eyebrows, the concerned look on his face.

  
"Because...?"

  
It is here when Jaemin remembers Renjun's words from last week "it'll suck if you don't get it off your chest," so he says fuck it. He's gonna do it, and he's gonna do it now. He can't wait anymore, until things really get weird between them because the only way he can repress his feelings is by keeping his distance from Jeno. He takes a deep breath, and...

  
"Because whenever someone says something like that all I can think of is how I want to hold your hand, and cook you favorite meals and kiss your nose – well, kiss way more than your nose, actually, and – "

  
"So do it," Jeno cuts off before he can go on.

  
Jaemin's eyes widen, and his lips form a perfect 'o'. "What?" He mumbles.

  
"I said, do it." Jeno repeats, slowly, to make himself clear. "Kiss me."

  
"Is this a prank?" Jaemin asks, a grimace on his face.

  
Jeno's answer is something Jaemin wouldn't have predicted in a million years, not even with the help of every fortune teller in the world: Jeno kisses him.

  
It all happens super quickly: at first Jaemin's body freezes, and for a second they stay like that, sitting in front of each other with their lips connected. But then Jeno's hands cup his cheeks, and Jaemin melts into the touch, slides his arms around Jeno's waist and brings him closer.

  
He'd be lying if he said he'd never thought about how Jeno's lips would feel on his, but nothing he could ever come up with in his mind compares to the real thing. They are soft and gentle, and slow, and perfect. If he had to use one word to describe it, it would be perfect.

  
They finally pull away from each other, but he can't seem to be able to remove his arms from around Jeno's body. He's out of breath, and suddenly feeling shy – he can also feel he is blushing, as his face is hot – when he speaks: "So, it's not a prank."

  
Jeno chuckles, "nope, not a prank," he confirms, and gives Jaemin another quick peck. "I've been waiting so long for you to grow some balls."

  
Jaemin raises his eyebrows. "You could have said something too, you know."

  
Jeno's lips curl up in a smug half-smile, "nah, you're the assertive one in this relationship."

  
"Oh, relationship?" Jaemin asks before Jeno can kiss him again, putting his hands on Jeno's chest to keep him away. He isn't using much strength, so Jeno manages to make him lay down on the bed while being on top of him, and snuggles against his chest.

  
"Mm-hm." He lets out while Jaemin runs his fingers through his hair.

  
"Aren't you going too fast there? You still have to explain a lot. Like, a lot."

  
"What do I have to explain?"

  
"I don't know, when did you start liking me? Why wouldn't you tell me? Does anyone know at all? What is going to happen now?" Jaemin suggests.

  
Jeno hums idly, and for a second he looks like a cat purring while being pet. Jaemin moves his body to snap Jeno out of his relaxation moment.

  
"I pretty much liked you from the first time you walked in. You were so, so cute. But, like, I realized last year when Mark said something about your lips being kissable – which they totally are – and I went nuts."

  
"Is that why you stopped talking to him for a while?" Jaemin asks, amused.

  
"Yup." Jeno simply replies, not even a drop of shame in his tone. "And I didn't tell you because that's not me. The whole confession thing... Better let the crush go away than being rejected. I was also hoping you'd say something. But then you started being all distant and shit, and I didn't know anymore." He explains, and then he adds: "you're kinda difficult sometimes, y'know?"

  
Jaemin laughs loudly, and then kisses the top of Jeno's head.

  
"Oh yeah, and only Mark knows, I told him when we sorted things out last year. I felt like I kinda owed him an explanation, so yeah. That's it."

  
Jaemin bites his lower lip. The thought of Jeno being jealous of Mark satisfies him, as weird as it sounds.

  
"So now..?" The younger starts.

  
"Well, now we can do whatever we please." Jeno continues, and he moves his head to face Jaemin. "We can start by going on dates like cute couples do."

  
"Or we can also make out until our lips fall off," Jaemin suggests, rolling his eyes in a way that makes both of them laugh.

  
"Yeah, that sounds like a plan," Jeno agrees, laughing still, but he leans in for the kiss.

 

The next day, Jaemin has to explain to Renjun what those bruises on his neck are, and his friend is too smart to buy into the "I ran into a vampire" story he had prepared. Damn Renjun, he thinks, but proceeds to happily tell him how Jeno and him did indeed made out until their lips – almost – fell off.

**Author's Note:**

> hey! i'm back! it's been a long time i know, but i'm here hehe  
> i hope you guys liked it, i know it's short but it's been a looooong ass journey of me fighting writer's block so i'm happy i finished writing it at all fjghdjg  
> let me know what you guys think!  
> also, if any of you have any prompts you'd like me to write, i'd be more than glad to check them out! even though my writing skills seem to be back, my imagination is still... going thru it... so i'd be happy to get some inspiration gkjfhjgh anyways, my dms are always open and my cc is right there too uwu  
> as always, thank you for reading! love ya!! <3  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/c0smicg4y) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/c0smicg4y)


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